


All For You

by tlm24



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-06-30 20:59:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15759591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tlm24/pseuds/tlm24
Summary: When Daisy returns from the Framework, her thoughts are haunted by what could've been with Grant Ward. After seeing him in the Framework, Daisy begins to wonder about the man that Ward could've been if she were able to erase his biggest regret in real life. Her mind is filled with, "What if he hadn't met Garrett? Would Ward have even joined SHIELD? HYDRA? And what would we have become?" Most importantly, Daisy thinks about the happiness that Ward would have had if he hadn't had such a troubled past. Daisy convinces herself that this is all a pipe dream until the team discovers that their newest mission shows proof of time travel. Daisy sets out on a mission of her own to find a way back to the past to change Ward's future.





	1. Haunted.

**Daisy**

Daisy awoke from her dream—or rather nightmare—with a start. Her heart was pounding against her sternum, threatening to burst out, and her entire body was trembling. Her forehead was glistening with sweat and her dark hair stuck to it. She had deep-set, dark circles under her eyes as if they had been carved into her face. As she finally came to, breaking away from the grogginess her sleep had left her in, Daisy began to do a quick scan of her room within the SHIELD base.

It was then that she noticed that all of the items in her bedroom were vibrating in their places, filling the room with a heavy hum. Several picture frames had toppled over. The panic of the nightmare had sent Daisy into fight or flight mode whether she wanted it or not. While her powers had long been under control, these nightmares were giving her a run for her money. 

Daisy forced herself to calm down, to get her powers in check. She focused on inhaling deeply through her nose, allowing the air to fill her lungs, before she pushed it back out through her mouth. As she calmed down, she focused on the vibrations of the room, dulling them until they were so faint she could barely notice them.

Daisy sighed as she threw off her comforter and made her way to her bathroom. Once inside, she flicked on the light—

She shuddered as her eyes fell on her reflection. Her lack of sleep these past few weeks had definitely had an impact. Her hair was disheveled, sticking out at odd ends, still partly stuck to her damp face. Her eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion and surrounded by dark circles. Her clothes hung on her loosely and her collarbones seemed to stick out more than usual.

Sighing, Daisy flicked off the light again and shuffled back into her room. She pulled off her sweat-damp clothes and tossed them into the hamper, replacing them with a loose-fitting tee and workout pants. She shoved on a pair of tennis shoes and slid out of her room into the corridor, heading for the gym.

Daisy hoped it would help clear her head like it usually did. However, this time there was no such luck. Even as she stood in front of the punching bad, thrusting her fists into it as hard as she could, her mind wandered back to her nightmares.

Flashes of Ward’s face twisted in pain as Coulson crushed his prosthetic hand into Ward’s chest were all she could see. She hadn’t been there when it had happened, but her mind had created an image that she couldn’t get out ever since she’d been in the Framework. Ever since she’d seen the man that Ward could be. A caring, compassionate, fearless Ward. A Ward that loved her unconditionally and worried for her safety. A Ward who knew her strength and her vulnerability. 

Her mind kept wandering to Aida and how she’d created the Framework. How she’d fixed each person’s deepest regret. She couldn’t help but wonder what Ward’s deepest regret had been and how erasing it had changed him so drastically. But more than that, she couldn’t stop thinking about how happy he’d seemed inside the Framework, how at peace he was.

Daisy had long since learned that the reason Ward did the terrible things he did was because he felt too much. He felt the pain of his abuse from his family, the pain of what Garrett had done to him, and most of all, he felt the pain of what he had done to others in the name of Garrett.

She couldn’t help but think of what would happen if Ward had never met Garrett and never been under his sway. She imagined the life he could have had if he’d had a better father figure—better than his real father and definitely better than Garrett.

She also imagined the life she could’ve had with Ward if things were different. Where would their relationship have gone if Ward hadn’t been HYDRA? 

Daisy’s mind kept circling around these thoughts until she was so drained, she felt she might collapse. Her workout had also left her arms and legs feeling like noodles. She knew these were signs that she should return to her room and to bed, but instead she shuffled over to the treadmill. She bumped up the speed until her legs screamed with exertion and she ran.

She allowed the pain and adrenaline from to the workout to fill her body until she could feel nothing else. Until she couldn’t feel the pain of losing Ward. Until she didn’t see his lifeless eyes and Coulson standing over him. Until she found a little peace.

She was so spaced out, she didn’t hear the approaching footsteps.

“Daisy.”

She jumped at the sound of Coulson’s voice, swinging around so fast she nearly flew off of the treadmill. She hadn’t realized how much the nightmares had been affecting her perception of Coulson until she realized the sound of his voice now set her on edge.

Coulson must’ve noticed the odd look in her eyes because he was now studying her. He took in her ratty hair and hollow eyes. He also seemed to take notice of the way her clothes didn’t quite fit her anymore as they were now baggy thanks to her intense workouts and lack of sleep.

“Everything okay?” He asked, his eyes shifting back to her face to study her response.

Daisy shrugged and stepped off the treadmill, grabbing a towel to wipe away the sweat on her forehead.

“Yeah, just couldn’t sleep,” she tried to say casually. Then, trying not to seem in a hurry to change the subject as best as she could, she asked, “What’s up? Do we have an op?” She nodded to the manila folder that he held at his side.

Coulson either believed her miserable excuse or he had decided to let it slide just this once. He nodded in response to her question and handed her the folder.

“It’s far so we’ll have to take the Quinjet.” Coulson said as Daisy opened the folder to review the information. “We’ll discuss the details of the operation on the plane. We leave in an hour.”

“Great,” Daisy said, faking a chipper smile. “I’ll get showered then.”

Daisy turned on her heel to exit the gym. She had almost made it through the doorway when Coulson’s voice calling out “Daisy,” stopped her once more. She turned to see him standing in the same spot, over next to the treadmill. His face was creased with worry lines as he again, took in the disheveled look Daisy wore.

“Maybe when we get back we can discuss why you look like you haven’t slept in weeks and you’ve been doing workouts at the crack of dawn.”

Daisy was too exhausted to say anything other than “Maybe,” before disappearing into the corridor, heading back to her room.


	2. The Mission.

**Daisy**

Daisy showered slowly, allowing the water to beat against her back and into her neck. She let the water massage out the knots in her muscles. The water was hot and stung when it touched her skin, but at this point, thinking about the water scalding her was better than thinking about Ward. The pure thought of him would surely send her back into a spiral that she wouldn’t be able to pull herself out of. And that wasn’t an option. She had to pull herself together for this mission. She couldn’t risk going out with anything less than a clear head. 

Still, her mind wandered and before she knew it, she was deep in thought once again. Her brow was furrowed, her lips pressed into a firm line. Her entire face was pulled into a look of concern.

As she lathered shampoo into her hair, Daisy thought about her father. Her mind often wondered to him. However, usually her thoughts were more along the lines of  _I wonder what he’s doing right now_  or  _I wonder how he’s doing_. 

But today she thought about how crazed he’d become after the loss of Daisy’s mother. She hadn’t really understood it then, but she did now. She knew how the “what if?” thoughts could drive a person mad. And if it couldn’t, the lack of sleep from it sure could.

Daisy began to wonder if she would go mad like her father. She definitely wouldn’t need syringes filled with strange liquid to give her the strength she needed. She had power all on her own. She had enough power to destroy anything in her path with a single tremor. 

What if she didn’t stop spiraling from these hectic thoughts? What if she turned into a madwoman? What if these thoughts got the better of her and she did end up destroying everything in her path just to escape the emptiness she felt in her chest?

Daisy shuddered at the thought. 

 _Well_ , she thought to herself,  _if I were to come up with a solution to the Ward problem, I wouldn’t have to be worrying about it all the time_.

She almost laughed at herself. What solution could she possibly come up with to not only bring Ward back from the dead, but also erase Garrett from his past?

With that, she shook her head at herself and finished rinsing the conditioner from her hair, scolding herself for even thinking that she could remedy this situation. She climbed out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel, heading for her bedroom to get ready for the mission. The hollowness in her chest followed her though, along with thoughts of Ward. 

—

When Daisy arrived to the hangar, the team was already in full swing preparing for the mission. May was in the cockpit, checking the controls and ensuring a safe flight ahead. Coulson was tucked away to the side, discussing procedures with an agent for while we were gone. Fitz and Simmons were working together to pile all of their equipment—and there was a lot—into the Quinjet. 

A stiff clap on her shoulder caused Daisy to spin around. Her eyes met a Mack’s broad chest and she forced a chipper smile onto her face. She looked up, meeting his dark eyes, trying to force the clouds of worry out of her own.

Mack was far too good at reading people, especially her, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to discuss this particular problem with him. Mack was understanding, but he was also stiff in his beliefs. If someone had wronged the team and killed countless others, he wouldn’t entertain the idea of Daisy feeling sorry for the guy.

“Hey, Tremors,” he said happily. “Need help with that bag?” He nodded to the large duffel she had thrown over her shoulder. 

The bag wasn’t large, a standard sized go-bag filled with only the essentials for the mission ahead. It wasn’t particularly heavy, but after the morning’s workout, Daisy was happy to hand off the bag to Mack. They fell into stride as they walked toward the Quinjet, walking in silence as they climbed its ramp.

They were halfway up the ramp when Mack finally broke the silence.

“Coulson tells me you’ve been getting in a lot of early morning workouts,” he began, trying to act casual as he tossed Daisy’s bag in with the other cargo. “I’ve been meaning to beef up my workout regimen and I was thinking I could start joining, if that would be alright with you.”

As he looked at her, his face was crinkled in worry. His eyes were warm and caring, studying her face as he spoke.

Daisy bit at the inside of her cheek. How many of her team members had noticed her odd behavior? Was she really that bad at hiding it? Or did they just know her far too well to fall for her charade?

“Yeah, that’d be nice,” she said calmly.

The two made their way to their seats, strapping in and waiting for the rest of the team so they could go over the mission. Once they’d seated themselves, Mack turned to Daisy.

“Now, I know why I’m beefing up my workouts. But why are you?” Mack asked. 

Daisy wanted to force another smile and pretend everything was fine, but she knew Mack would see right through that too. And if she couldn’t lie, or tell the truth, she’d just have to pivot around it.

“It clears my head,” she stated with a shrug, looking down at her hands in her lap. “I haven’t been sleeping well. I keep having nightmares about the Framework.”

She finally looked up, meeting Mack’s eyes. He studied her, but looked like he believed her half-truth. He nodded, seeming to understand the situation. Daisy knew he really did understand, after all the Framework had been hard on all of them.

Especially Mack.

He’d been given back his daughter, only to have her torn away from him once more. And Daisy could tell that at the mention of the Framework, that’s exactly where his mind went. To his daughter and his life with her. The life that he couldn’t actually have.

Daisy immediately felt her stomach drop. How could she have been so callous as to bring up the Framework to Mack? To believe that she had been the only person to lose someone? To believe she was the only one to have a loved one brought back for a short while just to be snatched away again?

Daisy wished more than anything that she could bring them both back, Ward and Hope. Maybe then, she and Mack could find some peace.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—” Daisy began.

Mack waved his hand, cutting her off. 

“Don’t be.” Mack said calmly, taking a deep breath. “The Framework did a number on all of us... but we got through it together.” He placed his hand on her shoulder. “And we’ll continue to get through it together, right?”

Daisy nodded and smiled. Mack’s words had actually eased her mind a bit and she was grateful for him. It helped to know that she wasn’t alone. And with that, they fell into silence once more. They sat like that for about ten more minutes before they were joined by Fitz and Simmons. They mumbled their hello’s quickly before delving back into a conversation that was filled with far too many scientific words for Daisy to begin to follow.

Coulson was the last to pile in, wearing his usual black suit and look of worry.

Daisy was sure he would begin briefing them the moment he walked onto the Quinjet, but he simply sat down across from them and strapped himself in. He remained silent, his eyes averted from Daisy. She knew she had hurt his feelings when she had refused to open up earlier that morning, but she didn’t realize how much.

Fitz and Simmons were too deep in their conversation and Mack was too deep into his thoughts to notice. But Daisy noticed. Because the silence was grating against her. Without any distractions, it was hard to keep her mind from going to Ward. To his dark eyes and square cut jaw. To the way it felt when his strong eyes wrapped around her.

Daisy shook her head, trying to pull herself from her thoughts.

“So...” Daisy began, leaning forward and eyeing Coulson. “Are we going to discuss the mission?”

Her dark eyebrows perked up to produce a questioning gaze as she eyed Coulson, who seemed too busy in his own thoughts. She briefly wondered what was on his mind, but was broken away from her questioning thoughts when Coulson finally glanced up at her.

“Oh, now you’d like to talk?”

At the snap of his voice, Fitz and Simmons stopped their conversation and Mack pulled out of his reverie. All looked at Coulson and then at Daisy. It was rare that Coulson snapped at Daisy, but when he did, they knew it had to be something serious.

Daisy’s stomach had dropped.

Okay, she deserved that.

She got it.

But still, the way he snapped at her with a harsh, cold tone made her body shake. Flashes of him standing over Ward, crushing his hand into Ward’s chest ran through her mind at the snap of his voice. It sent icy cold tingles shooting through her veins, turning her body into stone. 

She was frozen in... fear? 

Of Coulson?

Coulson must’ve noticed the shift in her because his face softened, his eyes becoming warm almost instantaneously. Like a switch had flipped.

“I’m sorry,” he started.

However, Daisy was already unbuckling herself. She forced her legs to unfreeze and steady themselves as she stood shakily. She mumbled something about needing a moment before disappearing from the group and toward the cockpit of the Quinjet. Coulson’s apologies followed her, but she paid no mind. Unable to hear his voice without seeing Ward’s death flashing in front of her.

It wasn’t like her to run away, especially from Coulson, but her hectic thoughts had left her rattled to her core. She needed to get her emotions under control and fast. 

May looked up only briefly when she heard the door opening. She nodded in Daisy’s direction, a silent hello, and then her eyes were back on the skyline in front of her. Sitting down next to May, Daisy took a deep breath and looked out of the window as well, raking her hand through her hair.

It was a clear blue day outside among the clouds and Daisy tried to find comfort in that. She tried to focus on the clouds, puffy and off-white, gliding in mid-air.

May remained quiet, seeming to offer a comforting silence that only she could. Ever since May had become Daisy’s Supervising Officer, she had been able to comfort Daisy in a way that no one else could, without words and without gestures. 

Daisy watched as May managed the complex controls for the Quinjet deftly, as if it was second nature. Her small fingertips glided over the controls with ease.

“Where are we headed?” Daisy finally asked as she watched May flip a few switches.

“Alaska.” May answered. “Nome, to be specific.”

Daisy nodded. A pause and then she asked, “Did he tell you what the mission is?”

May glanced over at Daisy, finally studying her for the first time.

“Coulson didn’t tell you?”

Daisy shook her head, sighing. “He wasn’t in the mood to talk if I wasn’t.”

May nodded. “I’m guessing he wanted an explanation for why you look like hell.”

Daisy liked that about May—her honesty. She stated facts without a second thought. And she wasn’t the type to try to intrude in Daisy’s thoughts. If Daisy was going through something that she didn’t want to talk about, May wouldn’t push it. May knew the value of dealing with some things on your own.

“Do I really look that bad?” Daisy asked.

May offered a silent chuckle and a nod. “We’ll be in the air for a couple hours. You should try to sleep. The bags under your eyes are about to be so large, we’ll have to put them in the cargo hold.”

“Did Agent Melinda May just make a joke?” Daisy asked with a half-laugh. “I must really look like hell if you’re cracking jokes to make me feel better.”

May smiled softly. “Just get some rest. From what Coulson has told me about the mission, it’s going to be a tough one. Some cutting-edge technology guarded heavily in the Middle-Of-Nowhere, Alaska.” She informed Daisy. “We’ll need you at your best.”

Daisy nodded then turned her eyes back to the skies. She allowed the feeling of the plane gliding through the air to lull her to sleep, her eyelids feeling heavier than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the story is starting out a little slow, but I wanted to take the time to introduce the entire team. I promise you will be seeing more of Grant Ward next chapter.


	3. Glimpse of Him

**Daisy**

When the Quinjet finally touched down in Alaska, Daisy felt as if she’d slept better than she had in weeks. She wasn’t sure if it was having her Supervising Officer, May, sitting beside her or the gentle swaying of the plane, but for once her dreams weren’t quite as plagued. Then again, she hadn’t slept decently in weeks, so it was possible her body had just exhausted itself. Nevertheless, when Daisy finally filed off of the plane, she felt renewed...at least strength-wise. Her thoughts were still haunted by the image of Ward—of his warm eyes and caring touch—and her stomach still churned with anxiety.

Coulson and the team were waiting at the end of the Quinjet’s ramp, looking expectantly at Daisy and May as they walked down to join the rest of the team.

Coulson’s eyes focused in on Daisy.

 “Daisy, I can brief you if you want.” He said softly.

His temperament had changed drastically from the beginning of the flight. His sharp words still hung with her though, reminding her of the rage he’d shown Ward. 

Daisy shrugged, trying not to seem bothered by his earlier attitude. She didn’t know if she could pull off the effortless look, so instead she went for cold. Daisy was far too good at freezing someone out. After her many years spent bouncing around the foster system, it came as second nature to her.

Maybe that was why she couldn’t get Ward out of her head. He was one of the first people she let herself care for. He’d opened the door for emotions and getting attached. He’d given her the nudge she needed to grow closer to her team.

Daisy pushed her thoughts away and crossed her arms. She didn’t want to shut Coulson out, she really didn’t. But he wouldn’t understand what she was going through. And if she told him she missed Ward—and had second thoughts about Coulson killing him—there would be no taking it back.

Daisy remembered when she had told Coulson she would never forgive Ward. But even if you don’t forgive someone for their actions, can you still miss them?

“No worries, May filled me in.” Daisy said curtly, trying to build up a wall of ice around her. 

Coulson’s jaw set in a tight line as he stared at Daisy. It was like she was a puzzle and he was trying to solve her. She loved and hated that about him. Once Coulson was onto something, he wouldn’t let it go.

_Let this one go_ , she pleaded in her head.

“So, where do we start?” May interrupted Coulson’s stare-down.

Daisy shifted from foot to foot as Coulson’s eyes peeled away from her, snow crunching beneath her feet. There was a cold wind blowing, sending snow flurries dancing in the air and into Daisy’s dark hair. The white, snowy scenery made her dark features stand out in contrast as she hugged her jacket closer to her.

“Fitz, Simmons, fill them in on the plan.” Coulson said, turning to the couple.

“Right,” said Fitz, clearly thrown off from Daisy and Coulson’s attitude.

Fitz walked forward, pulling a tablet from one of his bags. He opened the screen to reveal a map of the terrain. From what Daisy could tell from the map, they weren’t too far from their destination.

Fitz confirmed Daisy’s theory, saying, “We’re about a half-hour’s walk from the lab where the ‘mysterious’ technology is being kept.”

Fitz said this with an ironic tone. The team had often investigated “mysterious” objects and it had never turned out well.

Ever.

“Do we really not have any idea what it could be?” Daisy asked. 

For the first time, she had managed to pull herself completely out of her thoughts, now honed in on the mission at hand. Something felt different about this one and though she couldn’t place it, she allowed the curiosity of it to fuel her.

Coulson shook his head. 

“The chatter we’ve received has been a mix. One minute they’re referring to it as weaponry and another time, they’re calling it intelligence.” Coulson informed her. “And from the little we have heard this thing could be dangerous in the wrong hands.”

He too had reverted back into his usual self for the sake of the mission. That was of the most importance at the moment.

“Right,” continued Fitz, “which is why I’ve advised Coulson that it’s probably best if we use the element of surprise. We don’t know what this thing does.”

Daisy nodded in agreement.

“We’ll be splitting up,” Coulson continued without missing a beat. “Daisy and Mack, you’re going to take the front of the building with Fitz. The lab is supposed to be safeguarded, so we need you to hack in, Daisy. There’s a panel at the front that you can connect into.”

Daisy nodded. It was nice when the team utilized her computer skills. It was something she’d worked at to develop, something that had made her useful to the team before her powers had.

“Mack, you’ll need to stand guard while Daisy gets us in.” Coulson said to Mack. “May, Simmons and I will take the back in case they try to flush the technology out while you’re trying to get in. Once we’re all in, we’ll split up to do a sweep. Sound good?”

Everyone nodded in agreement and began gathering further supplies from the Quinjet. Daisy grabbed her backpack containing her computer and anything she deemed necessary to hack into the control panel. Coulson, May and Simmons placed comms in their ears and set off. After all, they had a longer trek in front of them as they had to circle around to the back of the building while staying out of view from the lab.

Before they left, Coulson reminded everyone, “No comms until security is down. I want to be sure no one’s listening in. We found this place a little too easy, so it could just as well be a trap. Eyes and ears open.”

Coulson could be a little paranoid on missions like these, but the rest of the team, even Daisy in her current state, knew he meant well by it and that he was that way because he cared for them.

Mack gathered up his weapons and extra ammunition, tucking the guns into his holsters and the ammunition into his pockets.

Fitz was gathering far too many materials, loading himself down in bags with an excitable look on his face. Fitz was always glowing whenever the team discovered something new that he could investigate with Simmons at his side. Daisy imagined that Simmons probably had the same giddy look on her face as the other half of the team approached the lab.

Fitz, Mack and Daisy took off on their walk through the snow, struggling to lift their feet through the powdery inches of snow that covered Alaska’s floor. 

Mack started up a conversation immediately. “So, Turbo, what do you think this thing is?”

Fitz looked up, excited to discuss the mysterious technology the team was pursuing. 

“Well,” Fitz began, “I think it has to be some sort of intelligence. The chatter we heard said ‘this could change everything, even our future’....”

Daisy tuned the two out as she focused on the mission ahead of them. They were ducking through the trees as they walked through a heavy forest. There were no footprints left in the snow, which left Daisy to believe that there weren’t any guards circling the building, though the new-fallen snow could have just covered up the tracks. 

Daisy doubted that though. While the technology they were hunted down seemed to be very sophisticated, its owner did not. They had been careless with their communications, which is how the team had been able to find them so easily. They’d also decided to hold the technology in a small lab in the middle of nowhere with little escape opportunities. Daisy couldn’t think of a worse criminal if she tried.

Still, when Daisy approached the building with Mack and Fitz, the three remained on heavy guard. Even dumb criminals could get lucky and spot them. Daisy led the group, gun gripped in her hand tightly. She didn’t want to risk using her powers around all this snow and the nearby mountain tops that she could see in the distance. Though she had her powers under control, an accident could always happen and she really didn’t want to cause an avalanche.

Fitz was in the middle, holding a at gun at his side as his eyes searched their surroundings. Lastly, Mack covered the back, looking behind them to ensure the enemy hadn’t circled around them. 

Finally, they reached the control panel at the front of the building. Daisy got to work immediately, perching against the wall and removing her computer from her bag. She tugged off her gloves and began booting up her computer. Fitz began pulling out tools to open up the panel. Mack stayed on guard, his gun raised high, the butt of it pressed firmly against his shoulder.

Fitz made quick work of the panel door and before they knew it, Daisy was plugged in and working her magic. Hacking into the lab was almost therapeutic. She hadn’t really focused on hacking ever since the Framework. Something about technology betraying her, misleading her to believe she had Ward back, had led her away from it for a while.

It was good to get back to it though. 

“We’re in,” Daisy said quietly once she’d brought down the security, both to Mack and Fitz, and to the other team that was connected through comms. “We’re clear for entry.”

“Front team, enter first.” Coulson replied over the comms, “we’ll make sure no one is going to make a run for it, then we’ll join.”

Daisy looked at Mack and Fitz to ensure they’d heard the same message.

“Copy,” Mack replied.

“I’ll lead,” Daisy said as she looked at Mack for approval.

He nodded. “Fitz, take middle.”

Daisy turned toward the door. She pressed her hand to the handle gently and tugged. The door came open without error. Once the door opened, her brain switched to auto-pilot, guiding her through the house with ease, utilizing the training May had given her. She swept to the right where she discovered a set of stairs, while Mack went straight down the entry hallway.

Daisy signaled that she would go downstairs to the basement for a sweep then return. Fitz and Mack nodded, motioning they’d search the first floor.

Daisy put her foot down on the stairs, testing her weight. The stair creaked beneath her and she stopped quickly, pulling her weight off of it once more. If someone was below, they would surely hear her coming from a mile away on these things.

Daisy lowered her body to the floor, holstering her weapon. She raised her hands next to her, ramping her power up just enough to lift her from the floor. She allowed the vibrations to lead her down the dark stairway without touching the stairs. The basement was nearly pitch black, and she could only see shadows of objects.

She dropped herself to the floor quietly and backed herself into the nearest wall, unholstering and raising her gun. She took in the layout of the room and studied it. Shadows of shelves lined the walls with a table placed at the center of the room, covering in stacks of... papers?

Beyond that there was a chair...with a figure in it.

Daisy’s breath hitched slightly as she tightened her grip on the gun. She took one step forward, nearing the figure.

Suddenly, the lights flicked on.

Daisy was revealed.

So was the figure.

A petite girl with dark, wavy hair sat in front of Daisy, a tablet set in front of her. Daisy recognized what was on the tablet—it was the database Daisy had accessed to get into the building. The girl had seen them coming the entire time, had made Daisy think she’d disarmed the security. She’d seen Daisy come downstairs and she’d turned on the lights.

Daisy looked from the tablet then to the girl.

“Daisy Johnson,” the girl spoke.

Daisy’s eyes widened. How did she know her name?

“I’ve been expecting you.” She said carefully, seeming to read Daisy’s mind, each word thought out as she said them. “I knew it wouldn’t be long once I released that chatter. Thank goodness you arrived so quickly, because there’s something I really must show you.” 

The girl started to stand all while Daisy’s thoughts swirled.

“Don’t move,” Daisy shouted, gripping her gun tightly, not touching the trigger. 

Daisy couldn’t stop staring at the girl. At her dark eyes. Her eyes reminded Daisy of Ward’s eyes. How they had looked molten hot right before he leaned in to kiss her, how they looked cold and dark as the light vanished and his life was taken.

Daisy imagined if she shot the girl, her eyes would look the same as she died.

Daisy shuddered, biting back tears.

The girl stood anyway, disregarding Daisy’s warning. “Don’t worry, you won’t shoot me.” The girl said softly. “I have eyes like him, don’t I? That’s why you can’t do it?”

Daisy froze. This girl didn’t just know Daisy’s name, she seemed to know  _her_. Her deepest thoughts.

“You’re trying to convince yourself—and everyone else—that Grant’s death isn’t affecting you, but it is, isn’t it?” She asked. Her voice was soft, almost caring.

“Who are you?” Daisy asked, taking one shaky step toward the girl.

“I’m the only person who can help you get Grant back.” She said, eyes studying Daisy. She took a step toward Daisy, then another. As she got closer, Daisy couldn’t stop looking at her eyes. It was all she could see and they had left her frozen. She took in the girl’s face as she got closer to Daisy—the small scar that sliced through her right eyebrow that didn’t seem to hinder her beauty, her dark eyes, her wavy dark hair—and all she could do was stand there frozen

“Stop,” Daisy called out, forcing herself to back up just one shaky step.

“I’m here to help you.” The girl said, still advancing. “But first, you have to see.”

She was close enough now that she gripped Daisy’s forearm. The moment her fingertips touched Daisy’s skin, Daisy felt herself slipping away. She felt her mind spinning and her eyes drooping, heavy like cement. Her legs felt weak and she collapsed. The girl caught her deftly and slowly lowered her to the ground, supporting her head gently.

“You have to see,” the girl repeated.

\----

When Daisy awoke, she was no longer in the basement of the lab. Instead she was inside the master bedroom of a house. To her right, there was a set of glass-paned French doors that opened up onto a large balcony. Outside the window, Daisy could see a beautiful backyard filled with a swing-set and a sandbox. Beyond that, she could see that she wasn’t in Alaska anymore. Outside it was bright and sunny with no sign of any snow.

She was curled up in a large, wooden-framed bed with a white comforter pulled over her. Her hair was disheveled and she was wearing a giant tee. She breathed in deeply, taking in her surroundings.

Something caught her attention.

The T-shirt. It was too big for her. And she recognized it. It was a band tee with the band’s name written in thick letters on the front.

It was one of Ward’s old T-shirts that he wore to their morning workouts.

She remembered joking with him about stealing it. It was one of her favorite bands that was so obsolete it was almost impossible to find any of their merchandise, yet Ward had managed to find one. She’d jokingly begged him to give it to her every time he’d worn it to their training sessions.

Now she was wearing it.

How?

Daisy felt she should be scared. This had an odd similarity to the Framework, and she wasn’t even sure where she was. But it felt different than the Framework. She felt at home here. Safe.

Daisy turned to examine her surroundings further and noticed a dresser directly in front of her. On it, was a photograph of her and—

It couldn’t be.

Daisy threw off the comforter and quickly crawled to the end of the bed. She hurdled off and darted to the dresser, fumbling as she picked up the photograph. Sure enough, it was exactly who she thought.

Grant Ward.

They were older in the picture, maybe by six years. But it was them. In the picture, they were on a camping trip, their faces lit up by the campfire. They looked happy, hugging each other tightly, laughing together.

Daisy felt her heart beat quicken, a happy feeling buzzing in her chest at the sight of the picture, of the sight of them together.

Daisy set the picture down and tried to examine the rest of the room. There was a door across from her—maybe a bathroom? And through the crack in the doorframe, she could see the light was on inside. She began to cross the room without thought, her body moving on its own volition. Before she knew it, she was gripping the door handle and turning it, pulling the door open.

She stepped inside, shivering as her feet touching the cold tile floor.

She was right, it was a bathroom. And more importantly,  _he_ was standing in front of the bathroom mirror, a towel wrapped around his waist and his chest bare. His square chin was raised and he touched up his facial hair, trimming it. 

“Grant,” she mumbled, her voice barely audible.

He turned, his dark eyes meeting hers. His face lit up into a smile as he set down the razor. He began to stride across the room toward her.

“Good morning,” he said as he cupped her chin in his hand, pulling her face up to his.

Before she knew it, he was pressing his lips against hers. His arms traveled down to her waist, wrapping his arms around her to pull her closer to him. She could feel the warmth of his body through the thin shirt. She became very aware that he was only wearing a towel and she wasn’t wearing any pants. 

Grant must’ve realized this too because suddenly, the mood was changing. He deepened his kisses and she found herself melting into him. His hands glided down, picking her up gently so her legs were wrapped around him. He set her up on the countertop gently.

His hands found his way in her hair, pulling her closer to him. There was barely any room left between them, but it still didn’t feel like they were close enough.

Suddenly, the sound of distant crying broke them out of their kiss.

Daisy’s face pulled into confusion as Grant pulled back. 

“Hey, babe,” he asked softly as he crossed the room to where there were folded clean clothes. “Could you go get Mia while I get dressed?”

Daisy’s head was spinning as she felt her body tug her back into the bedroom and through a door that led her to the hallway. From there, she traveled one door over and into another bedroom. Inside, there was a small toddler sitting up in bed, with tear-stained cheeks. Daisy felt her heart pound and her throat felt dry.

She leaned over the bed to see the toddler resembled both her and Grant, though she’d known that would be the case the moment she heard her cry. 

She picked up the toddler, cradling her against her and bouncing her softly. The small girl stopped crying almost instantly, curling into Daisy.

Suddenly Grant joined Daisy in the room, dressed in a nice suit.

“Okay, I can take her now so you can get ready for work.” Grant said softly. “And I'll get breakfast started.”

Grant leaned in to take Mia and Daisy almost resisted. She didn’t want to let her baby go now that she had her in her arms. 

She felt her mind spinning again, like it had before she’d arrived her and she found her eyes drooping once more. She fought to keep her eyes open. She didn’t want to leave this place. She didn’t know where she was, but wherever it was felt right.

But she was slipping away and she couldn’t stop herself.


End file.
